Understanding Hosting Resource Limits (CloudLinux)

{{COMPANY_NAME}} uses CloudLinux on shared hosting servers to ensure fair resource distribution. This guide explains what resource limits are and how to manage them.

What Is CloudLinux?

CloudLinux is an operating system that isolates each hosting account into its own Lightweight Virtual Environment (LVE). This means:

• Other users on the server cannot affect your performance.
• Your resources are guaranteed up to your plan's limits.
• The server remains stable even if one account has a traffic spike.

Resource Types

CPU

• Measured in percentage of a CPU core.
• Determines how fast your scripts execute.
• If exceeded: scripts slow down, pages load slower.

Physical Memory (RAM)

• The amount of RAM your account can use.
• Affects how many processes and database queries can run simultaneously.
• If exceeded: processes may be killed, "503 Service Unavailable" errors.

I/O (Disk Input/Output)

• The speed at which your account can read/write to disk.
• Affects file operations, database queries, and logging.
• If exceeded: disk operations slow down.

Entry Processes (EP)

• The number of simultaneous connections/processes.
• Each visitor connection, cron job, or script uses one EP.
• If exceeded: new connections wait in queue, "503 error".

IOPS (Input/Output Operations Per Second)

• Number of disk operations per second.
• Affects database-heavy applications.

Checking Resource Usage

In cPanel

1. Go to Metrics > Resource Usage.
2. View current and historical usage for CPU, RAM, I/O, and EP.
3. See if you hit any limits (shown in red).

[screenshot: cPanel resource usage dashboard with graphs]

Understanding the Dashboard

• Green: usage within limits.
• Yellow: approaching limits.
• Red: limits exceeded (faults recorded).

What Happens When Limits Are Exceeded

1. CPU limit: scripts slow down but continue running.
2. Memory limit: processes may be terminated with errors.
3. EP limit: new connections get "503 Service Unavailable".
4. I/O limit: disk operations slow down.

Tip: Occasional spikes are normal. If you consistently hit limits, consider optimising your website or upgrading your plan.

Reducing Resource Usage

1. Enable caching — install LiteSpeed Cache plugin for WordPress.
2. Optimise images — compress images before uploading.
3. Reduce plugins — deactivate unused WordPress plugins.
4. Optimise database — clean up overhead and old data.
5. Minimise cron jobs — reduce frequency of scheduled tasks.
6. Use a CDN — offload static files to Cloudflare or similar.

When to Upgrade

If you consistently hit resource limits despite optimisation:

1. Upgrade to a higher shared hosting plan (more resources).
2. Consider VPS hosting for maximum control and resources.

See: VPS vs Shared Hosting: When to Upgrade

Related Articles

• cPanel Hosting Plans Comparison
• VPS vs Shared Hosting: When to Upgrade

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